Thursday, October 20, 2011

Nine Facts About Fiber




If you've been looking for a way towards a high



octane diet, you'll find fiber to be exactly what



you need. Even though research has shown fiber to



be powerful, many people aren't taking this nutrient



seriously.





To help you fuel your health with fiber, here are



10 facts to help.





1. Fiber fights diseases. A diet high in fiber can



help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease. High



fiber helps the body to eliminate cholesterol by



binding it in the digestive tract. For thousands of



years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.





2. Fiber can actually help with overeating. All high



fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest,



making you feel satisfied longer





3. Most popular foods don't have enough fiber. If



you like the more popular foods, you probably need



to increase your intake of fiber.





4. Grains offer the most fiber. Dietary fiber is



actually plant matter that we cannot digest. The best



sources are whole grains and concentrated grain



products.





5. Kids need fiber as well. Children that are older



than 2 years of age should consume a daily intake of



fiber. Kids are most receptive to fiber found in



fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast



cereals.





6. More fiber needs more water. In order to keep



fiber moving through your digestive tract, you'll



need to consume a lot of water. With your diet of



fiber, you'll need eight or more glasses of water



every day.





7. Fiber cannot be cooked out. When you cook



your fruits and vegetables, don't worry about cooking



the fiber out, as it stays. The fiber found in



fruits and vegetables aren't just in the skin or



in the peel.





8. You can get enough fiber. If you eat more than



50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea



and bloating, which can interfere with your body's



absorption of other key minerals.





9. Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet



doesn't have to be hard. Even though you may think



so, getting the amount of fiber you need isn't very



hard to do. All you have to do is eat the right



foods and you'll be well on your way to a fiber



rich lifestyle.





As one of the key ingredients to healthy eating,



fiber is something you don't want to skip. Fiber can



serve many different purposes, which were covered



above. If you aren't getting enough fiber in your



diet - you should do something about now instead



of waiting until it is too late.



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Cake Decorating: How About Birthday Cakes For Adults




Cake decorating for adults are a bit different than those you would do for a kids party. It doesn't mean they need to be boring or ugly. Below are some great ideas for adult cakes that are fun to make and fun to eat.





Crunchie Rice Cake





In 2 square cake pans, make 2 batches of rice cereal treats according to the recipe found on the back of the box of cereal. When they have cooled, do not cut the treats, take them from the pans like they are.





Cover the top of the first layer with icing, and then a layer of chocolate chips, and a second layer of icing, and then a layer of multicolored sprinkles, and a third layer of icing. Place the second layer of the crunchie cake on top and frost the whole thing as you would a normal cake. Place a layer of colored chocolate candy on the top. You can even put the name of the recipient in candy. This is a whimsical cake that can be used for adults or children.





Over the Hill Graveyard Cake





Bake two cake mixes in a roasting pan. Make a gray icing with 2 drops of green and red food coloring and mixing it with white icing. Turn the cake out on a cake board ice the entire cake with this icing. Line a sidewalk with thin black licorice, and dot candy corn along the outside edges. Rectangular cookies can be iced with a darker gray icing. These can be used as gravestones.





You can find gummy skeletons at Halloween, or make your own out of toothpicks and use jelly beans for heads. Ghosts can be made from cotton balls, but you need to make sure no cotton gets in the icing you may want to make some out of construction paper and stick them on a popsicle stick. That might be a good idea for the skeletons too.





Ball and Chain Birthday cake





This is a great idea if commissioned by a husband or wife. Bake two round cakes and let them cool completely. Remove the cakes from the pans. Cover the top of one cake with the recipient's favorite fruit pie filling. Place the second layer on top and ice the entire cake.





Buy a bag of small cake donuts and frost them the same as you did the cake. On the cake board place one of the doughnuts up against the bottom of the cake. Follow this with several other doughnuts to make a chain. You can add different decorations on the cake, or leave it plain, it's up to you.





No matter what theme you choose, the cake decorating will be appreciated by the person having the birthday. Make sure you add candles and bring a cake server when you attend the party. Every time you make a cake and decorate it, you are honing your cake decorating skills and the more practice you get, the better you will be at cake decorating.



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What Frosting To Use In Your Cake Decorating




Those of us who are into cake decorating, think of the beautiful icing designs when we think of cake. Icing is the finishing touch on cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. There are several different types of icing used in cake decorating. The choice of icing while cake decorating, will have a great deal to do with how the decorated cake will look.





1. Buttercream Icing: Buttercream is the icing that is used the most in cake decorating. This is the same type of frosting that we can buy readymade in the grocery store. This icing is easy to use and easy to make. The ingredients are confectioners sugar, and butter or shortening. What you use to thin the frosting will differ with the icing texture you need to work with, to determine whether to use eggs or milk. Take care when thinning the frosting, remember, a little milk goes a long way. If you find the frosting is too thin, you can add a bit of confectioners sugar to thicken it.





To assure an even finish on your frosting, dip the icing spatula in cold water to make the surface smooth. This will give a smoother finish for writing. Buttercream is used to create flowers and other decorations made with a pastry bag. The icing needs to be the right consistency to make flower petals or writing. When you make roses out of icing, you can freeze them and add them to the cake later. This will make them easier to handle.





Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator without getting hard. Make sure it is back to room temperature before you attempt to use it.





2. Foam Icing: This is a meringue and is used on lemon pie or Baked Alaska. This frosting is made of egg whites beaten into stiff peaks. It is possible to add flavoring and color to the meringue. You will not be able to use this icing for intricate cake decorating, and you won't be able to use an icing bag with this icing. This icing is used when you want the cake to look fluffy, with little ornate decoration.





3. Fondant: This icing is very popular with those who decorate wedding cakes, and cakes for very special occasions. The ingredients are simply powdered sugar, water, cream of tartar, or glucose. Fondant is thick and doughy, with a silky, smooth, texture. Fondant will give the cake a flawless surface, and soft, rounded edges. Working with fondant is an art and will take practice to get it right. Fondant has a translucent quality, and will work best when placed on the cake over a thin layer of buttercream frosting.





4. Fudge Icing: Fudge icing is made from chocolate, peanut butter, almond, or mint. This icing is quite thick and contains both shortening and butter.





5. Glazes: This frosting is thin and watery, and will harden into a shell after it is placed on the cake. This frosting is mostly used on pastries. Glazes help to keep the pastry moist.





6. Flat Icing: This icing is similar to a glaze, but it is a bit thicker. Flat icing is a combination of confectioner's sugar and water and is used to drizzle onto pastries.





7. Royal Icing: This is also a flat icing, and hardens after it is set. Royal icing is a wonderful choice to make flowers, sculptures, and garnishes for cake decorating.





You can use any combination of the basic seven icings listed, to create a personal masterpiece. You will need to practice before you become good at cake decorating. You will get the hang of it sooner than you think, and even the mistakes will taste great.



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Making Healthy Food Choices




Vegetables, fruits, and grains are normally low in



fat and have no cholesterol. Most are great sources



of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and vitamins.



The American Heart Association recommends that you



eat foods that are high in complex carbs and fiber.





Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:





- Coconut is high in saturated fat, while olives



are high in monounsaturated fats and calories. You



should use these items sparingly to avoid getting



too many calories from fat.





- When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated fat



or cholesterol is often added. For example, egg



yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.





- Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may



also contain added sodium. With some people, too



much sodium (salt) may lead to high blood pressure.



There are some food companies that are actually



canning vegetables with less salt. You can look



for these in the market area or choose fresh and



even frozen vegetables.





- Nuts and seeds tend to be high in calories and



fat, although a majority of the fat is polyunsaturated



or monounsaturated. There are some varieties,



macadamie nuts for example, that are also high in



saturated fat.





Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great



choice as well. Examples include oat bran,



oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and



even apple pulp.





Whenever you are looking for healthy food choices,



always make sure you read the nutrition label



or information about the food. You can then



determine what the food contains and how healthy



it truly is for your body. By taking your time



and making your healthy food choices wisely,



you'll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that



will take care of you.



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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Eating Healthy On Vacation




It can be very tempting to abandon your good sense



of healthy eating on vacation. Although you may



strive for healthy eating, it's easy to drift off



and grab an ice cream cone here and there. There



are however, ways to watch what you eat on



vacation.





It's easier than ever these days to request a low



fat or vegetarian meal on airplane flights. If



you choose to instead drive to your destination,



the quest to find healthy food can get a bit more



complicated.





Rather than simply relying on greasy foods for



nutrition, pack some nutritious foods in a cooler



full of ice packs. Fruits and vegetables, crackers,



yogurt, and sandwiches are all great to have with



you on the road.





Once you arrive at your hotel, you should do



yourself a favor and turn the minibar key down - as



this helps to avoid the temptation. If your hotel



offers a continental breakfast, stick to fruits,



cereals, and proteins. If your hotel has a stove



or microwave, consider bringing your own healthy



food with you.





If you simply must eat out, do so only when you



are hungry. Restaurants will usually serve large



portions, so be careful. If you do go a bit over



on a meal, simply cut back on the next.





If you find it hard to fit in three square meals



a day, try to fit in six smaller meals or snacks,



as your body needs fuel every four hours or so.



When you eat out, avoid appetizers. Whatever you



do, do not miss any meals.





When it's possible, you should avoid eating large



meals at night. When your body gets ready for



sleep and slows down, it also burns calories at a



much slower pace. Never eat bread before bed, and



make sure to avoid the butter. Choose fish or



poultry for your meal instead, and include



vegetables as a side dish.





Even though it may sound hard, eating healthy on



vacation isn't really that difficult. All you have



to do is use a little will power, and pass up



foods that you know aren't good for you. This



way, you'll enjoy healthy eating and a healthy



lifestyle wherever you go.





The next time you go on a vacation, always remember



that eating healthy is a way of life. You can



afford to get something you crave, although you



shouldn't make a habit of it. One ice cream



cone or a pizza isn't going to matter - as long as



you know when to stop.



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